nysalogs | ( open: january catch-all ) the warrant is all

[ dutch doesn't give a shit about picking a side. she doesn't particularly want a war — she's just started one, but that had been different and for all of humanity's survival (and for proving something to herself) — but she doesn't think one side's necessarily better than the other. she's in wyver because she's got a pretty sweet gig going on in one of the fight rings and because the emphasis on strength and the no-bullshit attitude of the people here suit her. that's all.

so for the rest, she's keeping her head down. sometimes, she hunts, trading the meat for silver or booze. mostly silver, which she then proceeds to spend on booze in one of wyver's many bars. so here she is, a glass of whiskey in front of her, sitting at a spot at the bar that allows her to have a good view over most of the bar. one of her feet's propped up on the stool next to her (which is currently empty).

if she spots someone she knows, she'll give a nod, maybe even a wave. for someone she doesn't know, well. maybe a grin if they're very handsome. should someone approach, they'll notice the bruise on one cheek, remnant of her last fight. ] You should see the other guy.

[The problem of this place is that there's just not enough tech and weapons of his particular specifications to spend his silver on, so between his rent and food and whatever else, a lot of Rocket's money goes into booze.]

It's not as funny if he's not dead. [Rocket scales the barstool next to the one her feet are propped up on.]

[ their priorities are surprisingly similar sometimes. admittedly, dutch never even bothered to look for tech. since rocket fixed her gun for her, she's been good on that front. ]

Sorry to disappoint, but he's still alive. And even in one piece.

[He huffs, disgruntled.] Dammit. I need to stop bettin' on someone gettin' accidentally killed in the ring. I'm losin' silver that way, but man people get really liberal placin' bets when they think there's gonna be a bloodbath.

[The other thing he wastes silver on is gambling

and he's bad at it.]

Pretty sure most the places have rules against fighters actually going in for the kill.

[ that doesn't exclude accidental kills, of course - but dutch knows how hard (and how easy) it can be to kill a man, and most of the fighters are good enough that these kinds of accidents are unlikely to happen.

well, no, that's not true. dutch is good enough. the same doesn't hold for everyone. ]

Maybe you should bet on me winning instead.

They clearly ain't never heard of Sakaar. I ain't been, but I hear that place is brutal. Guys can make a pretty good livin' bettin' on the big contenders to smash their opponents into a pulp.

[He shrugs.] But that's out there, not in this shithole.

Sounds a bit like one of the slaver ships in the J.

[ if there's even just a hint of warmth in dutch's tone at the idea, it's because she met d'avin on a slaver ship and well, that turned out to be a great thing. meeting dav, not the slaver ship. ]

Heh. Considerin' I don't think anyone competes willingly, it probably is. That's classic slaver bullshit.

[The thought doesn't illicit any warmth from him, especially not after Yondu blabbed his entire life story to him. He'd been cold about it at the time, but after their fight on the Quadrant, it struck a sensitive nerve now.]

No shit.

[ obviously, dutch doesn't know sakaar. never even heard of the place - but that sounds like "classic slaver bullshit" all right. dutch is capable of turning off her empathy, khlyen's seen to that, but that doesn't mean she's a fan of slavery. especially lately, with the hullen turning people into puppets, into part of the hivemind, it strikes a nerve for her as well.

her lips twist. ] Next round's on me.

Why 'cause I'm a bad gambler and I'm broke?

[a chortle.] Otherwise I'm gonna start to think I'm good company or something.

You're shit company.

[ which is somewhat of a lie. oh, he's rude and sarcastic and an odd companion for sure, but dutch happens to relate well to rude and sarcastic. rocket's edges are rough and that means dutch doesn't have to pretend her own are smooth. ]

I appreciate your honesty. I'd hate to think I'm gettin' soft bein' stuck here.

Any time.

[ always happy to insult a friend. ]

Up to anything fun tonight?

I just got stuck in yet another frickin' cave tryin' to make some silver. The "fun" I have planned is of a "do very little" variety.

And yet, you're here.

[ the implication being that sitting in a bar with her is not "doing very little". ] What were you doing in a cave?

This is highly unproductive, don't you know? [He lifts the handle of his glass with a tiny hand, grinning toothily.] I was tryin' to find heirlooms from some old thief hidey-hole for Cree.

The shit we do for silver.

[ though really, dutch hasn't been doing much in terms of bounty hunting. she's been fighting her fights in the ring every other evening, winning and earning her keep that way. it's good enough for now.

after running from khlyen, what had kept her going was the next warrant, and the warrant after that. now, it's the next fight, and the fight after that. the principle's the same, even if fighting is a lot less varied than being a killjoy. ]

The shit we do to keep from gettin' an actual job, more like it. Here's to bein' a free agent for life.

[He tips his drink in her direction and then works on downing it.]

I'll drink to that.

[ freedom is something dutch hasn't always had, which makes it all the more important to safeguard. free agents, indeed. she follows his example of downing her drink, already gesturing for another round before she's even set down her empty glass. ]

[ dutch has his number, but actually finding his place takes a little longer than finding his number did. still: finding people is what she does. (what she did.)

maybe half an hour after their text conversation, dutch knocks, dressed in a similar outfit to the one she'd been wearing when they met. workout clothes, tight-fitting leggings, boots, a thin shirt over a sports bra. there's a gun strapped to one thigh and a knife in one of her boots. nothing personal, she just rarely leaves the house without a weapon. ]

Hey.

[ as time ticks on, Bigby wonders if Dutch is actually capable of finding him. he wouldn't care usually, but she's gotten him curious as to what this sparring nonsense is all about. the idea of stretching out his muscles is appealing — to get his blood pumping. it's odd to say that sex has been the primary way of letting off steam when it was a rarity or downright non-existent back at home, but that's how things worked here. the change of pace will be nice.

until it inevitably turns to sex, anyway.

the knock on the door finally comes up and while he'd be reluctant to admit it, seeing Dutch on the other side as he swings it open is nice. still dressed to kick someone's ass, where-as Bigby is clad in dress pants and a plain white tee. that's probably his first disadvantage. ]

Took you long enough.

[ he takes note of the gun and makes an amused face before stepping to the side to let her in. ]

[ she's a killjoy, or she was: part of her job with the rac had been to find people. so she manages, but it isn't nearly as easy as she'll pretend it is if asked. or as she'll pretend it is when he makes a comment about it, apparently. ]

Yeah, well. [ a beat. the casual amusement at her gun is noted. ] I had to do my lipstick first.

[ for the record, she's not wearing lipstick. not right now, at least.

he steps aside and dutch walks into the place a bit like she owns it, or at least like she has every right to be there. he invited her, so she does. (she talked him into it, but who cares.) turning around to face him again after a brief survey of his rooms, she raises her eyebrows. ]

Are you sure you wanna spar in that?

Oh. Appreciate you caring enough to take the effort.

[ he notices that she isn't wearing lipstick. that's okay. she had blood on her last time he's seen her, which is probably the closest thing to make up for fighters. Bigby doesn't appear to be offended or even care.

she'll notice that his home is bare bones. a few pieces of furniture in each room. no real decorations or anything that indicates he lives a wealthy life. that's because he doesn't. working side jobs with no real occupation here will do that. ]

Would you rather me take my clothes off?

[ Bigby looks down at his shirt, tugging at the collar to stare underneath before staring back up at Dutch. he doesn't really comprehend the idea of getting into something more comfortable for physical activities. it's either he runs around in khakis or as a giant wolf. there's no in between for him. ]

I don't want to disadvantage you with any distractions.

Anything for you, big guy. [ is big guy better or worse than growly? at any rate, he is - more than out in the streets, being surrounded by four walls puts into perspective just how much taller and broader than dutch he is.

her own apartment isn't much more homely, though with alvis living there now as well, leaving robes and with dutch leaving bottles, it has a certain lived-in feel, at least. though she's had to give up her make-shift gym room to give alvis a place to sleep. maybe that's part of why she's here right now. ]

I like what you've done to the place.

[ and then she considers his next words. shrugs. ] It's cute that you think it would do that. [ distract her enough to be a disadvantage. oh, she'd appreciate the sight - but that's not the same as letting it distract her. khlyen taught her better than that. ]

But if you'd rather leave it on, be my guest. Not my fault if it'll rip, though.

[ and because dutch is dutch and it's nothing he hasn't seen before, anyway, she takes off her own shirt and drops it to the side, leaving her in just the leggings and the sports bra. hey, it's how she usually spars. and she's not the kind to say no to an unfair advantage if this is distracting him. ]

[ it's fine. he'll take the nickname. he's been called big guy, tough guy, growly. asshole. dick. other colorful names that don't need mentioning. Bigby just lets it happen. his own name is nothing more than anagram of his true identity. it's fine.

Bigby has been successful in avoiding a roommate in Wyver unlike his stay in Olympia, which is preferred. there's the odd guest that sleeps over like Rosalind or Aranea, but he'd kick them out the moment they started leaving a mess behind for any particular reason. the good news about living alone is that the living room is sizable enough for Physical Activities. all they will need to do is move the furniture closer to the walls. ]

Thank the previous resident. Haven't done much to it myself. [ he stats doing just that, nudging one of the tables over before motioning for her to help with the couch. could he do that all by himself? yes. but she's here, she wants to get her heart pumping and he figures he'll warm her up. ] Shouldn't rip if you aren't planning on using teeth or nails.

[ but fine, he'll play it her way. at her taking off her own shirt, he's going to go ahead and tug his over his shoulders, balling it up and throwing it over to the couch. Bigby can appreciate Dutch in just leggings and a sports bra all the same, but no distracting. not yet. ]

Are there... rules or something. Like nothing below the belt, or gouging eyes. Thumbs in wrong holes, things like that.

[ is it obvious that he doesn't spar much? it should be. ]

[ dutch had been successful in avoiding a roommate in wyver, but then alvis had woken up again and - he could go to sleep again any time. she's not letting him out of her sight if she can help it. and it's not like they haven't shared space before when he'd been holed up on lucy, when she'd visited the monastery. he's awake and he's here and that means dutch is happy to share her space with him.

at his question, she shrugs. ]

No teeth, no nails, no gouging, we stop if someone taps out.

[ and because he really doesn't seem to have a clue about the whole thing, she adds: ] No breaking bones, no lasting damage, no weapons.

[ while she speaks, she picks up one end of the couch, though her gaze is on his arms and shoulders. appreciating the sight while they're not sparring yet. ]

No teeth or nails. Fuck me.

[ that's handicapping a guy like him, Dutch. you don't know this, mind you, because you wouldn't realize he's a wolf that's fought primarily with teeth and claws. he can't help but appreciate the irony in sparring like a true human. it almost seems... wrong. like he's doing something incorrect. maybe that's why he's partaking in these shenanigans in the first place. ]

I'm hoping I learn why the hell you enjoy this shit before we get to the point of breaking bones.

[ again, he isn't really worried about that or lasting damage. Bigby's more-so concerned about accidentally doing something to Dutch, which is certainly a valid thought to have. he shrugs it of in favor of grabbing the other end of the couch, guiding the both of them to bring it towards the wall to allow quite a bit of clearance for them to get down and dirty. ]

If you ask real nice.

[ look, she came here for a spar - but if it turns into fucking, well. she's up for it. and it's a curious phrase in reaction to being told not to use teeth or nails, but dutch just raises her eyebrows and leaves it at that comment.

and he shouldn't worry too much: dutch will tap out before he does any permanent damage and she's damn good at fighting even against those bigger and stronger than her. khlyen trained her to, and the hullen put that training to the test more than once. ]

For one, it gets your blood pumping.

[ with the couch aside, she moves to the middle of the room, settling into a loosely defensive position. ] Let's see what you've got.

Ha fucking ha.

[ truth be told, he isn't even thinking with his dick right now. Bigby figures something like this is going to take more focus and attention than he would like to admit, if only because he doesn't want to actually break any of her bones. that is no insult to her or her fighting prowess, but the man has literally ripped someone's arm out from their socket before.

at least he shouldn't be pulling at any of her limbs. hopefully. ]

If you're just looking for cardio, I hear running is just fine.

[ he remembers to stretch, which consists of merely rolling his neck and cracking his knuckles as he steps into the center of the room. the only defensive position that Bigby knows of is standing there and looking at Dutch as if waiting for her to act first. her words imply he should act first, and he merely cocks his head inquisitively at her instead. ]

You're the guest. Maybe I want to see what you got.

Oh, fine.

[ dutch huffs, not actually annoyed at all but making a good show of it. there he goes again, making her do all the work — except he really hadn't, last time, had he? and anyway, this isn't work precisely. for a moment, she just mock-glares at him, then she springs into action, a kick aimed at his midrift followed by a quick series of jabs. neither has her full strength behind them. he looks like he can take it, but she has broken bones before as well and she's not actually looking to hurt him. ]

[ he did ask for it. perhaps he should have been better prepared for her to make that first move, but his limbs barely had a moment to raise up to try and catch or block her leg before it connects with his torso. Bigby may be Big and Bad and various other adjectives, but a foot just inches from your chest is going to provide some discomfort. he groans but is able to get into motion fast enough to swat her hands away with a wave of his forearms.

quickly after, both hands reach to squeeze onto her wrists, snapping her forward until her chest is just south of his own. he seems pleased with himself. ]

Not bad. Almost knocked the air out of me. Guess it's my turn?

[ he doesn't really want to swing a fist at her. not yet, anyway. so he doesn't, instead looking to sweep her legs out from underneath her so that she is taken to the floor. it's unfortunate there is no real padding there, but he manages she can take it. if and when she does fall, he is quick to follow, placing a knee on her bicep to keep it pinned while his hand squeezes onto her other shoulder. ]

Do we keep going until we tap out, pass out or what.

[ he asked for it and dutch isn't sht about delivering. though he isn't bad himself, responding quickly after that first kick and even getting a hold of her wrists. for a moment, dutch lets him pull her in, then she moves to break the hold he has on her wrists -- but not quite quickly enough to move out of the way of his sweep.

she can handle the landing well enough, though, so that's all right. ]

Tapping out. Unless you're too stubborn to do that before you pass out.

[ and with a grin, she twists her body. he has her arm and shoulder trapped, yes -- but not the rest of her, and a moment later, one of her legs is wrapped around his neck, pulling him backward and off her. he could resist, but then, she could squeeze. ]

Honestly? Yeah, probably.

[ in response to him being too stubborn, which they're going to quickly find out when she's reversed his "grapple" in favor of pulling him down to join her. now her legs are wrapped around his neck and not in the nice way. Bigby grunts at how easily she is able to maneuver his weight to her favor, but it turns into an amused snort of laughter just as fast. ]

Nngh— kind of expected this at some point— just... thought you'd be facing the other way.

[ there is literally 0% doubt in his mind that she wouldn't sit on his face if the opportunity calls for it, but that isn't what is happening right now at all. he does eventually resist by grabbing at her leg to try and pry it off from around his neck. amateur move. it doesn't help that he is still trying to control his strength so he doesn't accidentally break her leg. that's the problem with wrestling a supernatural Fable. ]

—remind me why this is fun again?

[ aka stop making him choke. HE WON'T SAY UNCLE DUTCH!! ]

Why did I expect that.

[ even dutch isn't too stubborn to tap out in a spar if she needs to -- she's just not been trained to need to. she never had the opportunity to, during her training. it was kill or be killed, no tapping out possible. ]

That could be arranged, too. But I don't know, I'm having a lot of fun right now.

[ he won't be able to pry her leg away from his neck, but after tightening her hold on him for a moment just to make clear that she can, dutch lets him go and rolls back to her feet all in one smooth motion. ]

( open: january catch-all ) the warrant is all

» open: a bar in wyver

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» closed: bigby

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hi i'm back

<3

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god this is late

never too late tbh

are you 100% positive

110% actually